Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville and pundit Michael Owen did not see eye to eye over a key detail under Michael Carrick in Manchester United’s clash with Liverpool.
Liverpool were on the back foot against Manchester United in the first half on Sunday after the Red Devils took a 2-0 lead inside the opening 15 minutes.
Matheus Cunha’s effort near the edge of the Liverpool box took a deflection off Alexis Mac Allister before dropping in the back of the net to put United 1-0 up.
United’s lead doubled over Liverpool in the 14th minute after Benjamin Sesko pushed the ball into the back of the net after Freddie Woodman’s failed clearance.
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Gary Neville’s assessment of Man Utd showed what Michael Carrick overlooked after Liverpool’s second-half fight-back
Benjamin Sesko was withdrawn for the second half and Amad Diallo was brought on as Michael Carrick’s only tactical change amid his side’s 2-0 lead at the time.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Gary Neville warned that former teammate Carrick needed to drill home the importance of the open space between the midfield and defence.
“The one message that Michael Carrick will want to get to his players at half-time is that there’s a bit of a gap between the midfield and his defence,” he said.
“Liverpool are getting players into that area. They are going to have to tighten up a little bit. Liverpool could score from around 20 yards.”
Amad Diallo made a costly mistake inside the first two minutes of the second half after his poor pass was intercepted by Dominik Szoboszlai at the halfway line.
The chasm between the Man Utd midfield and defence allowed Dominik Szoboszlai to charge through and he fired a superb effort into the bottom corner of the net.
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Michael Owen overlooked the Liverpool resurgence in the second half and Michael Carrick’s need to tweak his tactics
Michael Owen was convinced that Carrick would not shift back to the same half-time tactics that he used in Man Utd’s 2-1 win over Brentford at Old Trafford last month.
However, the former Liverpool and Man Utd striker was not convinced that Carrick needed to change much at half-time and felt the Reds were not a major threat.
“It’s a very similar start to their last game against Brentford,” he said on Premier League Productions, as per the Premier League’s official website.
“2-0 up at half-time and then Michael Carrick changed the tactics and personnel at half-time. I don’t think he’s going to do it this time – I don’t think Liverpool are threatening too much for him to think we need to tighten things up.”
A Senne Lammens howler nine minutes after Dominik Szoboszlai scored allowed Cody Gakpo to pull back an equaliser for the Reds in the second half of the tie.
However, the Red Devils were able to restore their lead and secure all three Premier League points after Kobbie Mainoo netted the winner at Old Trafford on Sunday.
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